First of all, I am so sorry to hear about your dog Glory. My childhood dog, Caesar died when I was part way through my freshman year. He had a doggy girlfriend and he apparently went over to her house when he was ready to die. Her family called my mom, who in turn broke the news to me over the phone. My dog was 14. I was devastated. I know my mom was. Knowing this made it even harder when I watched my DS say goodbye to Farley. He adores Farley, and Farley just turned 11. He is showing his age, and I worry for him, but also both my kids who are incredibly attached to him, and have experienced an enormous amount of loss recently.
Thanks for all the sage replies to my post. I apologize for my failure to say much in response, but this has been a difficult topic for me. I am incredibly anxious about my DS. I am still crying when I think about him. I am also still mourning the death of my aunt, who died tragically and unexpectedly around a month ago. i am admittedly still grieving the losses of my step father and MIL who also died in the past year, All that loss seems to make my sons absence much harder. Adding to my current emotional stress, my surviving parents are fragile and elderly and live 9.5 hours drive away, in another state. My brother has lived within a short drive of them, but a few weeks ago accepted a job out of state. My parents are unhappy and anxious about him leaving. Since learning the news, my dad has fallen while out on a walk and he broke his nose. My brother was house hunting in the new state, and I was delivering my DS to his college. It's amid this loss and family chaos that I also had an elective surgery (a few days ago) to remove kidney stones. Crazy right! I anticipated three stones but ended up with 9-10. I also have a new to me diagnosis, Medullary Sponge Kidney. I'm pretty tired and my neck is sore. They must have positioned me in an awkward way or torqued it because I feel like I have whip lash! (Literally and emotionally, this is definitely the sandwhich generation for me!).
My DS had his first week of classes and met with the disability services coordinator. They didn't give him everything I hoped, but he says he's okay with it. He thinks he can manage with what they are providing. I can only hope the scaffolding we built over the past 18 years is strong and secure. He celebrated his 18th Birthday yesterday. It was the first time he was not with us on his Birthday. It was hard for all of us. I had sent him two care packages with his favorite goodies. (Enough to share with his roommate, and friends he has made in the dorm.). He agreed to call us twice a week. He is doing it. He also texted me once between calls. I'm hopeful, because he has never been much of a communicator. His DS constantly texts and calls. I feel very connected to her. I think that's one of the fears, of losing the connection. I think my connection with my DD has become even stronger and closer as she has become an adult. She's a communicator though unlike my DS, I have tried to help him become a better communicator. I guess that's my new parent role. Not to interfere, but to support.
My DH and I have some plans in the works, but I'm too tired now to keep going. Later!
